Imaginary
by Danni-2005
Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her. Book Two of the Fallen Series. COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Prologue

Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming.

Sam lay there, trying to ignore how the sheets clung to her sweaty back as she lay staring at the ceiling. It was the middle of the hottest evening of the year and it happened to be the one the air-conditioning had chosen to go out during. Her dad had been on the main phone for the past three hours trying to find someone who would work on a Sunday at seven in the evening.

Sam almost jumped when her phone rang. She had a separate phone line for her room but Tucker was on vacation and Danny was still grounded for his suspension. She grabbed the phone and hit the talk button. "Hello?"

"I'm free, Sam! I'm free!" The caller screamed into her ear.

She cringed at the volume of his voice. "God, Danny. Could you be a little quieter?"

"But, I'm free. You have no idea how great this feels." Sam grinned at how excited he was.

She glanced at the calendar. "I thought you still had another week to go."

He laughed sounding slightly flat coming through the phone line. "I got time off for good behavior."

"Ah," Sam said as she fell back onto her bed. The sheets stuck to her once again. She glanced back at the calendar as Danny started to tell her about his punishment. Something hit her for the first time. Her period should have been last week.

Sam felt like she'd been doused with ice water. Everything inside her froze. She stared at the calendar in shock. She counted back days, did the math over and over again. This couldn't be happening. She had finally decided that she could move on with her life.

"Sam!" It jarred her out of her near trance and she dropped the phone to the bed where it bounced to the floor. She scrambled to grab it and pressed it tightly against her ear.

"Sorry, Danny. Kind of spaced out. What were you saying?"

There was no response for a moment. "Never mind about me. What's wrong?"

Sam tried to laugh it off. It sounded fake, though. She was certain he caught it. "I'm fine."

"Sam, you gasped and then went silent. I spent like thirty seconds asking what was wrong before you noticed. That doesn't seem fine to me."

She tried to make her voice sound totally normal. "I'm fine, alright. Look, I got to go. Maybe we can do something tomorrow."

"Alright," he somehow seemed reluctant to let her go, drawing the word out into more syllables. "Talk to you later."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Sam muttered distractedly. She held the receiver away from her ear forgetting to hit the off button. Danny's voice grew small and distant. She sat there for a while staring at the calendar the whole horrid act replaying in her mind.

She didn't know how long she sat there but at some point she heard the loud buzzing of her phone being of the hook. Sam threw it back onto the cradle and grabbed her pillow and screamed into it until she couldn't make anymore noise.

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I know this looks like that totally overused plot we've all read, but trust me it's not. I want to thank everyone who reviewed the Epilogue for Hello. I know there maybe people who review later on but so far these are the reviewers. Huge thanks to: RavenForever, style, Weeble Wobble Chic, dannyphantomsgf, Spice of Life, LadyEsca, q.t a.k.a spice, RainbowSerenity, and Coldplayer813. You guys are great.


	2. Chapter One

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter One

Cannot cease for the fear of silent night.

"So you think you're pregnant?" Danny ran a hand through his hair, obviously uncomfortable about having this conversation.

Sam sat on the floor leaning up against Danny's bed. She pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them. "I dunno. I just don't know." With that lost pleading look on her face she looked so vulnerable that it scared him. They sat in silence for an eternity, him staring at Sam, who was staring at nothing. "I'm scared," she whispered almost too faintly for him too catch.

He walked over next to her and plopped to the floor. "I am too."

"At least I'm not the only one. I hat facing this stuff alone."

There was a hollowness to her voice as she said it that scared him. He draped his arm around her small shoulders. "You never have had to be alone and you never will be."

She sighed and leaned slightly against him. "If only that were true." Danny opened his mouth to argue and she shook her head. "I know you're there for me, but I still have to go through this myself. I'm the one who has to deal with it."

Danny rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes wandered about the room before settling on Sam. "I know. I just wish I could help."

Sam turned out of his grip and turned so she was facing him. "You are. I totally wouldn't be here without you. But this is something I have to do."

Danny smiled at her. "Anything I can do to help, just—"

"Let you know," she finished for him. "I know. That's why I told you."

He stared at her. This was the worst thing that he could imagine. Sam had finally realized she needed to move on with her life and now she couldn't. This would haunt her for the rest of her life. She would never be free from it. The thought made breathing difficult. "I really don't know much about that sort of thing. I mean being pregnant. I mean the whole baby thing. Why is this not coming out right?" He snapped, getting flustered. Sam almost doubled over laughing. "It's not that funny?"

"You're too funny, Danny," she said, wiping the edge of her eye. "All I was going to ask is if you'd go with me back to the crisis center."

"The crisis center?" He arched an eyebrow. "If you are pregnant, don't you want a real doctor?"

She tucked her hair behind her ear. "If I am pregnant is a different issue. I've resolved not to worry bout that bridge till I come to it."

"So you don't think you're pregnant?"

She seemed to sink into the side of the bed. "Knowing my crappy luck I probably am, but if I sit around thinking about it I'm going to drive myself crazy again. I'm trying to get better not make everything worse," she stated. She sighed. "If I'm not making any sense tell me to shut up."

Danny shook his head. "You're fine. And I know what you mean. I'll go just stop by beforehand and we'll walk to it together."

She gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks. You're the greatest."

Danny shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I try."

"You can tell," she laughed.

"Hey!" He grabbed her wrist and before she could figure out what he was planning, he reached up and grabbed his pillow and hit her in the head.

Sam yelped. "Abuse!" She giggled as Danny pinned her to the ground and tried to suffocate her with the pillow. She struggled back and managed to shove the pillow up into his face. It continued for a minute before Sam cried that she gave up. They lay there for a moment on their backs staring at the ceiling.

Danny was the first to break the silence. "Sam? Am I the only one that knows what happened to you?" She remained silent for a minute.

"Why does it matter?"

He turned over towards her, leaning on his elbow. "You didn't report it?"

She sighed. "Danny, I didn't even tell my parents."

"I don't get it."

She finally turned to face him. "Of course you don't. I love you, but you're not the brightest crayon in the box." He didn't say anything in hopes that she would continue. "I didn't plan on being around for two much longer. Them knowing would mean they would watch me and make sure that something of that nature didn't happen."

"But it's been a month and a half. Are you just never going to tell them?" He watched as she rolled back over, her eyes losing focus. "Sam?"

"Probably someday. But it still hurts. I mean it's still hard to talk to you about it. I think it'll be awhile before I can tell Tucker. And if I can't tell Tuck there is no way I can tell my parents."

He waited for a moment debating whether or not to ask the question that he wanted to ask so badly. "Then how come you could tell me?"

She was silent for a minute or so and the lost look again settled over her features. "I don't know. I can't really explain it. I don't know why but something said that telling you was safe. It still hurts to think about it," she trailed off. She seemed to withdraw into herself.

Danny reached over and squeezed her shoulder. She snapped her head over to look at him. "I'm glad you told me."

"I don't know if I am." She must have caught his concern cause she continued. "Sometimes I'm so grateful that it feels like I'm going to die out of sheer gratitude. Then sometimes it seems like I would just be better off not being a burden to everyone."

"You're not a burden, Sam. We all care about you."

She sighed, searching his gaze for something. "Then why do I feel like one?"

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Yay. New story. I'm very excited. I'm glad to see so many people are still reading. I was worried I'd lose everyone in transition. And I know that the first few chapters are going to seem like I'm leaving out a lot but I want to get to some actual meat in this story, not the generic everyone-does-this-plot sort of stuff. Thanks to my reviewers: Sakura Scout, Akiko, Moody Maud, Ryoko Lover, autumngold, q.t a.k.a spice , Rieki, Silverflare07, Weeble Wobble Chic, Jessi, Coldplayer813, RavenForever, and RainbowSerenity. All my reviewers deserve the biggest thanks in the world. Out of 222 Danny Phantom stories there is only one that has more reviews than Hello. And that's nothing I did, it's all you guys. You're all totally awesome.


	3. Chapter Two

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Two

Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming.

Danny fell back onto his bed. It had been a long day and he was sure he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. And if he couldn't sleep there would be know way Sam could. There had been absolutely no point to him going he sat in the waiting room for fifteen minutes till some nurse called the name that Sam's file was under. Than he had got to sit with her for five minutes while they explained the three tests they were going to do and then shoved him out in the waiting room.

Danny scoffed as he rolled over onto his side. 'Ashley Doe.' Sam didn't even look like an Ashley. She looked like a Sam, he thought crankily. Ashley was one of those overly happy girl names that nothing ever went wrong a day in their life. Ashley's were cheerleaders or models or valedictorians. Not people like Sam.

He had sat in the waiting room for an hour and during this staring at all the other people's faces in the waiting room he realized that stuff like this happened. He had never really thought about it before. Before it was always a statistic that they used in class to scare them away from sex. It had never really occurred to him that this ruined lives. That girls lives were ruined because of this. Boyfriends really did beat girls over getting pregnant when they didn't have a choice in a matter.

His mind traveled back to something Sam had told them when they were waiting at the center the night Sam tried to end her life. He had said something about not being able to live without her and she had answered offhandedly, "One death is a tragedy, a million people dying is a statistic."

She was right. It had always just been easier to think of them as a statistic. But something clicked in him when he almost lost her. Human life was becoming less and less meaningful. How many times had he glanced over at the paper at breakfast and seen that someone was beaten, assaulted and murdered? He never stopped to think about the person it happened to.

That was some ones sister, daughter, girlfriend, or best friend. It was someone else's 'Sam', somebody's 'Jazz'. They had friends, families, hopes and dreams. Then someone comes along and shatters them and then scatters the pieces. He wondered how many girls had gone through this, but for them there was no savior. There was no one who showed up and took their hand and led them out. He thought about how close he had been to Sam being one of them.

It almost made him choke. Sam could have been the one who died and no one would have batted an eye. Sam didn't deserve that. Sam didn't deserve any of what she was going through. It was at that moment he vowed that he would do anything in his power to make this easier for Sam. He had no idea what the promise was going to end up costing him.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The phone ringing jarred him awake. He pushed himself up onto his elbows and looked to the right at the clock. The sun shone into his room, but not as bright as early morning should be. 10:42 blazed back in bright red at him as his phone continued to ring. He grabbed it.

Pushing the talk button he pressed it to his ear with his shoulder, running both hands through his hair and then pulling at his face. "Hello?"

He heard sniffling on the other end of the line and his heart stopped. "Danny," the voice was broken and horse but he knew instantly who it was.

"Sam," he said, sitting straight up. "What's wrong."

There was a long pause. It wasn't exactly silence you could hear Sam gasping for air between sobs. "The-they called. About, about ten," she took a long gasp. "thirty."

He didn't even need her to continue. He felt everything inside him go cold. It was almost like how he felt when he went ghost. But this was worse. This one wouldn't go away in a few seconds. "Oh, Sam. I'm sorry. Oh God, if there is anything I can do."

"No," she sniffled. "It's my," another gap, "problem. Just thought…you'd want to know." She sobbed.

"Do you want me to come over?" He asked gently. Sam went quiet, "Let me rephrase that, I'm coming over. I'll be there in about five minutes alright." He crossed to his dresser.

"Sam?"

"Sorry, forgot you…can't see me nod. I'm so stupid." She tried to laugh cynically but it came out as a half sob.

He grabbed some socks and stood on one foot while he pulled one on. "Promise you won't do anything till I get there." Silence greeted him. "Sam, you're not going to hurt yourself, right?"

"I'm not going to kill myself." Her voice sounded flat and emotionless.

"But you're not going to hurt yourself," he repeated desperately. To Danny's utter horror he heard a small sob and the phone go click. "Sam? Sam!" He stood there for a moment till the faint beeping of the disconnected line reached his ears. He wrenched his head around and stared out his window towards Sam's house. "Oh no," he breathed.

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Hola! Hope you liked it. I know it's shorter than I usually make my chapters but this felt right so I'm going with it. Let me know what you thought. And here are all my wonderful reviewers: Weeble Wobble Chic, Rieki, Spice of Life x2, Shadow Sakura, Moody Maud, RavenForever, Akiko, autumngold, Snow Owl Queen, Piezo, CoLdPLaYeR813, q.t a.k.a spice, lightning streak, Sakura Scout, and RainbowSerenity.

I wanted to address Snow Owl Queen's comment. I don't usually do this but this one struck me. I know that when your fourteen your period is just craziness man. Believe me been there, done that, not going back again. But I realized that and so if you look, Danny comments that it's been a month and a half. Technically timeline wise if you care to know it's been seven weeks. Just to let you know. :0) Thanks for bring it up though.


	4. Chapter Three

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Three

The Goddess of imaginary light.

No sooner had he turned ghost, Danny lunged out the window and took off full speed towards Sam's. Flying had always been fun for him. It was a kind of freedom that few could dream of. But now none of that crossed his mind. He mentally urged himself to go faster. He dropped lower when he got to her street and didn't slow himself down till right before he entered the house.

He dropped to his feet as Danny Fenton once again. He glanced around her room, so familiar but at the same time the warmth that had always been here was gone. It made a shiver crawl down his spine. "Sam," he called softly into the dark room. He walked over and opened the door he poked his head out and looked both ways down the hall. He called for her again. He walked down the hall to the right and walked around to the stairs.

He slowly crept down them and he noticed light coming from a room behind the stairs. He didn't call out again, he really didn't need too. He walked down the stairs silently. It was a skill he had acquired from sneaking in and out of the lab. The key was to put his foot down flat and stay as close to the wall as he could. He heard a crackling sort of noise.

He turned at the bottom of the stairs his right hand on the balustrade using it to pull his weight around. He continued towards the kitchen. He crept silently towards the girl that his every thought was. He put first one foot into the light then the other and stood there in the doorway of the Manson's kitchen.

Sam was standing next to the stove. It was stainless steel and somehow the twisted reflection shone back at him. He watched her carefully right now she seemed to be fine. She walked over to the sink, still with her back to him. She opened the cherry wood drawer below the sink.

Sam's whole house had always made him uncomfortable. It was a reminder of the fact that he was and never would be in her league. No matter how many times she assured him that she still wanted him as a friend, he always felt, very literally, second-class compared to her.

Sam pulled off a paper towel and dangled the bottom against her right wrist with her left hand. Danny wondered what in the world she was doing. She drifted back over to the stove and this time Danny noticed that the burner glowed an angry neon red.

Sam touched the edge of paper towel to it and watched the flames dance along the sides of the paper. At the moment it seemed that she was okay. This was just some sort of stress reliever. As long as she wasn't hurting herself, he could live with that. The flames were coming close to licking at her fingers now and she dropped the remains of the scrap onto the stove.

The smell of something burning reached him at about the same time she lifted her wrist and held it out over the burner. It hit him what she was planning at the same time that she started to bring her arm down. "No!" Sam jerked her head around to see him and she froze.

Danny however didn't. He lunged at her and it seems to break the spell she was under. Sam slammed her wrist down the same instant Danny grabbed her elbows. She managed to bang her wrist down on the door handle to the stove. She whimpered as Danny wrapped his arms tight around her, pinning her arms to her side. She jerked toward the stove again.

"No, stop it," he snapped. "I'm not going to let you do it, stop trying." She jammed her foot down on his insole. Danny loosened his grip for a split second and she managed to jab her elbow into his ribs. She took advantage of his momentary lapse and pushed away from him as hard as she could.

She managed to lunge forward but he grabbed the back of her shirt. She still managed to catch the heel of her hand and she shrieked falling down. She grasped the wound then stuck it in her mouth for a split second out of gut reaction. Danny instantly pulled her to her feet and virtually dragged her over to the sink.

She was sobbing uncontrollable and trying to talk at the same time. He held her hand in his, bending her hand back so the ice cold water hit it directly. She shied away, pushing herself against Danny. Her words became more coherent. "It hurt. It's never hurt before. Its never just not worked. Why did it not work, Danny?"

He turned her around and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay. We'll figure it out. It's all gonna be alright. I won't let anything happen." She put his head on his shoulder and just cried. Danny just sort of walked her up to her room, she leaning on him as if she lacked the strength to make it on her own.

He laid her down on her bed. Her eyes closed and he watched her for a moment and he turned to leave. Her fingers loosely coiled around the edge of his arm, still not touching anything with her palm. "Don't leave me."

He turned and saw her eyes darkened with a sort of fear. He glanced at the clock. 10:48, still morning. "Of course," he smiled down at her. "As long as you need me."

Her eyes drifted close, the edge of her lip curled up. "I don't think you can promise me that long, but I'll take whatever you can give me."

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Hehe, I think Sam's getting to like Danny, even if she does have issues. I hope you all appreciate this. It's the latest I've been up in a LONG time. But I wanted to give you another chapter. I had lots of new reviewers, kind of scared; I haven't heard from style or ID in a while and Samster and Spice of Life didn't review this time…Maybe there out searching for me and they really are planning on stalking me…scary thought. But hurray for those who did review. You are my favoritest of favorite people: Kagome51, Dragon Blade5, The Good Girl, Ryo's destiny, KittenGoMoo, Piezo, Moody Maud, Possesed Angel, autumngold, Shadow Sakura, Trevor the Enchanter, RavenForever, CoLdPLaYeR813, and Samster the Hamster from last chapter. Thanks to you all.


	5. Chapter Four

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Four

In my field of paper flowers.

Sam slowly awoke, falling through the warm floating feeling. She opened her eyes and looked around she spotted Danny, laying on his back asleep. His arm was thrown carelessly over his eyes so that the light didn't get in. He wasn't by any means prince charming but she had never been so happy to see anyone in her life.

She rolled off her bed and padded over to where he lay. She bent down and gently shook his shoulder. "Danny?"

"Hmm…" he blinked a few times. Sam couldn't help but notice his eyes were a much darker blue when they first opened.

"Danny, you need to go. It's three thirty. My parents will get home from work soon." She swallowed. "And you're right I need to tell them."

He sat up and stared at her for a moment, concern permeating his measuring look. "Are you sure you're—"

"Yes, I'm fine," she interjected. "You better go your family's probably missing you."

He grinned at her as they both stood. "Doubt it, but I'll go anyway. Call me and tell me how it goes, okay?"

"Sure, I'm sure it'll be fine."

. . . . . . . . . . .

Sam sat in her dad's office. Her dad was leaning on the front of the desk, her mom sitting in a chair facing the desk next to Sam. Sam continued to spill out the story chasing a seam in the armrest with her finger. She told them about being raped, Danny's suspension, her suicide attempt, what happened in the kitchen this morning. She felt the tears leaking out but ignored them. Finally she finished and waited for her parents to respond.

Her father's voice reached her ears, sarcasm and scorn dripping from it. "Bet it took you all day to make that up." He calmly took a drink of coffee from a mug on the corner of his desk.

Sam's head snapped up and she was instantly pinned in place by the anger in her father's scowl. "What," she whispered.

"Samantha, I can't believe you! Just because you got yourself pregnant doesn't mean that you have to make up some bullshit story." Sam opened her mouth but her dad charged on. "Do you realize how horrible it must be to be raped. Just because you and Danny—"

"Danny!" She bit out.

"You stayed the night at his house. What are we supposed to think?" Her mother said softly. She had never heard so much disappointment in her voice.

"You're supposed to believe me!" Sam jumped out of her seat.

"Yes, that would have been your battle plan wouldn't it." Her father retorted scathingly.

Sam was in totally shock. She had told them the truth. How could they do this to her? They always told her to tell the truth.

"I can't believe you did something like this. I have no idea where you got this behavior from." Her father raged getting up and walking behind his desk.

Sam couldn't stop what came out of her mouth next. "Like parents like daughter," she snapped venomously.

Her mother sobbed and jerked her head towards Sam. Her dad went rigid, "What did you say?" The words came out as a growl.

Sam gave a bitter laugh. "You figured I would never figure it out? It's basic addition. Some one who get's married in June doesn't usually have a child in early October."

"How dare you," her father growled.

Sam was seeing red now. Nothing that was coming out of her mouth had any thought behind it. "That's why you hate me. I remind you of every stupid thing you've ever done. And I'm sure there's plenty of them." Her father's hands curled into fist and he gave an almost animalistic growl. Her mother couldn't take it. She bolted out of her chair and ran through the door. "You're upset because you know what I'm saying is true. That I'm not like you, that I didn't make the wrong decision."

His hand shot out and wrenched around Sam's wrist. He jerked her small frame forward and threw her into the glass door of a bookcase. It shattered, shards digging into her. Sam couldn't hold back the scream. "Not so tough now, are you?"

He wrenched her up to eye level so her feet were dangling. Sam brought up her knee into his stomach as hard as she could. He dropped her. She put her hands down into the shards of broken glass to break her fall. Shoving off as quickly as she could she darted through the door.

She ran down the hall trying to get out of the house, her dad's footsteps pounding on the hardwood floor. She fumbled with the latch, whimpering at how something so simple could be so difficult. She threw the door open just as two hands curled around her shoulders and shoved her down. She tumbled down the steps, conctrete scaping her knees, elbows, and palms and biting into her cheek.

Her dad jumped down the steps and proceeded to kick her. She lost track of time. It could have been a few seconds. It could have been hours. But the only thing she remembered before blacking out was hearing Mr. Rose, the next-door-neighbor, hollar to leave her alone and that he had called the police.

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I can not believe how many reviews I got this time. You guys seriously rock. I actually screamed when I went to check my email and saw so many review alerts. Huge hugs to my reviewers: audi katia, Moody Maud, Dragon Blade5, Akiko, Annie, Shadow Sakura, CoLdPLaYeR813, Spice Of Life x2, KittenGoMoo, RainbowSerenity x2, dannyandsambelongtogether, Ryo's destiny, Weeble Wobble Chic, The Good Girl, HomicidalJungleCat, Possesed Angel, RavenForever, autumngold, Kagome51, and Samster The Hamster. You guys rock not only my socks, you rock my family, my friends, and my neighbor's socks as well. In short you guys rockage some serious sockage!


	6. Chapter Five

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Five

And candy clouds of lullaby.

Danny dialed Sam's personal number for the fifth time this evening. As with every time before, her machine picked up. "Hey, this is Sam. You know what to do." Danny mouthed the words again along with the recording. He hung up not bothering to leave another message. He finally dialed the Manson's number. On the fourth ring, someone picked up. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mr. Manson. Uh, is Sam around?" Danny held the phone against his ear as he swung his legs off the edge of the bed. There was a long pause on the end of the line. Danny's eyes darted around. He had probably just imagined it but he could have sworn he heard a faint growl.

"No, Danny, is it? She won't be here anytime soon." He heard the line go click.

Danny was getting a little concerned. He clicked the off button and put it back on the cradle. He stared out the window towards Sam's. He sat there for a moment, debating whether or not to worry. She could just be out but he couldn't see why she wouldn't call him. Sam was good about things like this. He was just about to go ghost and go check on her when his phone rang.

He picked it up, thumbing it on. "Hello," he heard a soft sobbing on the other end. "Sam?"

"No," the voice responded softly. Danny's brow knitted for a moment as he tried to place the voice.

He almost asked who it was, when it hit him. "Mrs. Manson? Is that you? Is something wrong with Sam?"

"He could have killed her," she murmered. "He's never hit her before."

He knew instantly who she was talking about. "What happened to Sam?!" Everything in the world stopped.

"She tried to run. And the neighbor saw them. He blackmailed him. Said he would get his house taken away."

Danny was completely confused. "Who blackmailed who?"

"Joseph," she paused as if suddenly realizing that she wasn't clarifying much. "Sam's dad. He's blackmailing our neighbor." She sobbed into the receiver for a moment. "I've known that he could lose his temper. But he'd never touch Sam."

"Where is Sam now?" Danny couldn't imagine where she was. It had seemed that lately she had always come to him. Maybe she was with Tucker, but if he was totally honest with himself he couldn't see either her or Tucker in that scenario.

"Amnity Park Municipal Hospital," she whispered. Danny reeled back as if he had been slapped. He dropped the phone as if he had been scalded, backing into the edge of his bed and dropped to the floor. Sam's mom was saying something but it wasn't registering. She was in the hospital. Everything in him froze. He felt as if he couldn't breath and it felt like he couldn't breath. Tears clung to his ice blue eyes. No, he mouthed.

This wasn't happening he started trying to make himself wake up. Tears started to fall. Part of him screamed to get up, go to her, do anything but just sit there. But Danny couldn't he was stuck. He was going to lose her again. If there was a God out there, Danny thought he was pretty sick and twisted. What had Sam ever done to anyone?

For some reason, he suddenly felt betrayed. He felt like running away and never looking back, forcing himself to forget all of this. But then he pictured Sam's desperate rain and tear-streaked face as they sat on the top of the jungle gym that fateful night. He couldn't leave her. Not now, not ever.

Danny came back to reality and heard Mrs. Manson calling desperately to him through the phone. He picked it up. "I'm here," he choked out. Suddenly talking seemed a lot harder. "I'm going to go see her."

"Daniel, it's way past visiting hours they'll never let you in. You'll have to wait till morning." He twisted around and looked at the clock. 9:12. Danny smirked to himself any normal person would have to.

"Yeah," he stated. "Guess I'll have to."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Danny floated silently invisibly through the halls of the hospital, glancing at signs. "Maternity…Cardiology… Where do they keep the _normal_ people," he breathed. He darted to the side to avoid running into a nurse, realizing the moment he did it he could have just gone intangible. He finally ended up in a pediatric wing. He was about to turn around when he noticed it T-ed in about fifty feet. Three to eleven-year-olds were to the right, twelve to eighteen-year-olds to the left.

Danny had never really thought of them as 'pediatrics' material. But who know how these mad houses were set up. He floated around. Most these kids seem to be here on a more permanent basis. Pictures, notes, and photographs adorned most the doors. But the further down he got, the more there were just blank doors. These were the one's he peaked into. Nine doors and still no sign of Sam.

He looked into the tenth one and he was turning around before it struck him that it was Sam. She had gauze taped over so many spots on her neck and face. She was pale and there were needles stuck into her inner-arm and the back of her hand. Dark bruises mottled the pale skin. Her left eye was swollen shut. Danny stared at her in shock.

He became visible, yet didn't change back. He dropped to the floor and walked over to her side. He stood about two feet from her and stared. He couldn't tell anyone how long he stood there. But he must have made some noise cause Sam's right eye popped open and she turned towards him.

"Hey," he whispered, trying to sound cheerful. Sam stared at him for a moment her face blank. "What's wrong, Sam?"

Her eye seemed to analyze him. It sort of unnerved him, but he tried his hardest not to let it show. "Who are you," she asked softly.

**__**

That totally was not in the plot but it just hit me in the last four paragraphs and I changed my entire plot, because I thought this would be fun! Oh well bear with me, it's gonna be one heck of a ride. Thanks to my wonderful reviewers: dannyandsambelongtogether, Piezo, Red Jack Malicious, Nicci Heart, LadyEsca, autumngold, Shadow Sakura, Moody Maud, Lady-Ashanya, audi katia, Annie, Spice of Life, Akiko, CoLdPLaYeR813, Kagome51, Possesed Angel, Ryo's destiny, Weeble Wobble Chic, RainbowSerenity, KittenGoMoo, RavenForever, Samster The Hamster, and The Good Girl. Hope to hear from you all again!


	7. Chapter Six

**__**

Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Six

I lie inside myself for hours.

Danny had never been this scared in his life. He stood there completely frozen in place staring at Sam. She was his best friend since kindergarten. He had never gone through anything and same for her. They were like the other half of each other. Not in a romantic sense but they needed each other as much as any couple did. He couldn't imagine going through anything without her.

"Please," he said softly, but his voice cracked. "Please tell me your joking." The lavender-eyed girl stared back at him. She raised an eyebrow but it must have pulled a scab or a bruise because she whimpered. It broke his heart to watch her suffer like this. "Sam, you've got to remember something."

Her eye clouded over. It sort of creeped him out to think of Sam having one eye, but that's what it was like. "You seem like I know you. Like something from a dream. Not even that, a memory of a dream."

He smiled sadly, upset at the thought that she _could _forget him. "It'll come. Don't force it." She went silent and stared at the ceiling. Danny took a few steps back and leaned against the wall for support. He felt like he was going to collapse.

"Do you love me?" The question made Danny's eyes fly open. Sam was staring at him with an expectant look on her face.

Danny didn't know what to say. "What?"

"Do you love me?" She stressed every word as if she was talking to a two-year-old. "It's not that hard of a question." Well, he thought, at least her wit hasn't been affected.

Danny waited a minute before answering. He'd never really thought about it before. "Yes, I mean, you're my best friend, but not in the way you're thinking." Part of him whispered that it was a lie. He brutally repressed that thought.

"So it's not your baby," he tried to ignore the look on her face. But she looked so crestfallen that he knew he never would be able to forget it.

"You wanted it to be?" Danny could not believe that had just come out of his mouth. He wished he hadn't said it cause he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer, no matter which it was.

Sam stared at him, she glanced down and said softly, "You seemed to care. You seemed like the type of guy who would stick with me through anything. Do you know who the dad is?"

Now there was a loaded question. No, and neither do you, he thought bitterly. It briefly crossed his mind what it would be if the baby _was _his like everyone thought. He wondered if Sam would still be this miserable. But it wasn't. The little voice whispered, but no one knows that.

Danny almost laughed at the sheer lunacy of the idea. Sam knew. Well, technically she didn't. But she would remember something some day would trigger it to come flooding back and she'd kill him. Literally. But someone else had to know…There was no way they could pull this off.

He looked at Sam staring blankly at the ceiling. God, he hated it when her face lost all emotion like that. It always sucked him right back to that playground and her laughing as she was about to pass out from blood loss. He would do anything to stop it.

"What if it was my baby?" he asked cautiously. His brain basically told him he was on his own and shut itself off.

She turned and looked at him strangely. "I thought you said it wasn't."

"Well, I mean, you never told me. But I can't think of who else's it would be." He tried to act fittingly nervous. It wasn't hard. What if she remembered? He wouldn't put it past Sam to jump out of bed and wring his neck here and now.

"Oh," she said softly. "It's your baby, but you don't love me."

"I do! It's just…" Yes, Danny, his brain taunted, get yourself out of this one. "We've been friends along time and we just didn't want to ruin it by doing something we'd regret."

"But we had sex? That makes tons of sense."

Danny shrugged. "We're like that sometimes." He grinned at her, at least that part wasn't a lie. Sam and him did lots of things that made no sense.

"Uh huh." She tried to suppress a yawn but failed.

Danny grinned at her and reached for ward and gently squeezed her fingers, mindful of the IV needle in her hand. "You're tired. I'll come see you tomorrow." She nodded her eye already drifting closed.

"Love you." He caught it despite how faint it came out.

"I love you, too." It seemed awkward yet natural at the same time. He tried not to think to deeply into it. Danny turned to go about to float up in the air when Sam called out to him softly. "Danny?"

He spun around. "Yeah?"

She smiled slightly. "I love your contacts."

A glance in the mirror reminded him quickly that he was still in ghost mode. He almost told her. But it had been a rough day for both of them and he just couldn't put her through another shock tonight. So despite his better judgement he threw one more lie out between them. "Thanks."

**__**

Bad Danny. He's going through a rather stupid phase. Not my fault I just tell it like it is. :P Way past my bed time. My parents are getting concerned. Thanks to my reviewers: Demon Vix Raven, Lady-Ashanya, Trevor the Enchanter, samanddanny, audi katia, Ryo's destiny, Spice Of Life, dannyandsambelongtogether, KittenGoMoo, Annie, HomicidalJungleCat, Weeble Wobble Chic, Akiko, The Good Girl, AngelicxDeath, CoLdPLaYeR813, Possesed Angel, Kagome51, autumngold, RavenForever, RainbowSerenity, Moody Maud, and Samster The Hamster. Love you all!


	8. Chapter Seven

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Seven

And watch my purple skies fly over me.

Danny was there every morning as soon as visitor hours started. Tucker would be in and out. Tuck still didn't know Sam was pregnant. Danny had just told him Sam's dad had snapped. Which was _technically _true. He was getting really good at the 'technically true' thing.

Sam was remembering bits and pieces. Random faces from school. Different sorts of things the three of them had done together. But nothing major, and nothing really recent. It was on the third day that they started talking about discharging her. Sam had taken to the blood transfusion, her cuts were healing and she could get up and walk around on her own.

That was the day the world had come crashing down around them. Sam and Danny had been in her room, laughing about what kind of programming they put on hospital cable. They both turned towards the door as it creaked open. There stood a man in a suit with Danny's mom standing behind him. The contrast looked strange.

"You're Miss Manson?" he questioned already going to the table in the corner that Sam had the flowers he and Tuck had brought her on it. He moved them over to the corner and began pulling papers from his briefcase.

"Yeah. Anything I can help you with?" Sam asked glancing over at Danny. She looked scared. Lawyers had never meant anything good in Sam's life. The last time they were around it was when her parents filed for divorce during the summer between third and fourth grade. From the look she sent him she obviously remembered that much.

He tapped the pages against the table. "You're parents are giving up being your legal guardians."

Danny's jaw dropped. Of all the things he had been thinking this could mean, that was probably last on his list. "What?"

"They blatantly refuse to be Samantha's legal guardians. I can understand why. From what they said you made up an elaborate lie about being raped and then verbally attacked them? Then when your father reached out to touch you backed over a chair and fell into the bookcase then tried to run away."

Sam looked desperately at Danny. She looked like a tapped little animal. With the cuts and her still puffy eye it gave Sam a distinct tortured look that scared even him. "I—" She stopped for a moment and hung her head. "I don't know."

Maddie stepped over and put a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Sam's memory is still a little fuzzy."

The lawyer looked back and fourth between Danny and his mom. He focused on Danny. "And the nature of your relationship to Samantha is—?"

Danny looked him right in the eye and the lawyer looked at him as if he was pond scum. "Her best friend," he stated. "Since Preschool."

"I see." He scribbled some notes on a piece of legal paper. Sam looked terrified. He reached over and took her hand. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand gently. She squeezed back as hard as she could, tears welled up in her eyes and her lip started to quiver. She quickly bit down on it and swallowed. It was in that moment that Danny realized there was nothing he could do to make this easier on her.

He could pretend as much as he wanted this was still going to be near impossible. Sam still had to do this on her own no matter how much he tried to be there for her. "Is there any way Samantha can stay with us?" Maddie asked softly. Danny looked up at his mom.

The lawyer didn't even look up from his paperwork. "The Manson's are currently looking for a foster home, preferably more than an hour away from Amnity Park."

Maddie asked patiently again. "That doesn't answer my question. Is there any possible way for Sam to stay with us."

"You would have to get approval of the parents, which I highly doubt _you_ can." Danny almost snapped at the way he talked as if there entire family was lower than dirt.

"Both of them?" Danny asked quickly.

"You need two of her guardians, yes." He folded up some papers. "Well, I've talked to the doctor and have checked up on Miss Manson's condition. I have to be going now. I would start saying goodbye to people within the next week, Samantha." He nodded to Sam and she nodded rather mechanically back, still fighting tears. He walked out.

Danny immediately hopped up in his chair and sat down on the bed and pulled Sam into a hug as the tears started to come. "I won't let them take you, Sam. I promise." She buried her face in the crook of his neck. She clung to him. Danny rubbed her back as she cried. The door closed quietly and he peeked over his shoulder to see that his mom was gone.

"What are we going to do?" she choked out.

"I dunno, Sam. But I'll think of something." She clutched the back of his T-shirt in her fist as she sobbed into his shoulder. She looked so helpless, at only barely fifteen this was more than either of them should have to deal with. "We'll get through this."

Sam looked up with what was become her trademark hollow-eyed look. "I hope you're right," she breathed.

**__**

Another Chapter. I'm sorry this one took me so long to get out. I had to work last night. Still quicker than a lot of other stories. Oh well, thanks to my wonderful reviewers: Shadow Sakura, Dragon Blade5 x3, Silverflare07, Weeble Wobble Chic, Ryo's destiny, GhostieLo x2, Wiggle Lizard x 5, Annie, IceSugarHigh, Spice Of Life, audi katia, PyroDragon, Moody Maud, morgannia, RainbowSerenity, KittenGoMoo, Red Jack Malicious, Akiko, The Good Girl, JulieGhost, autumngold, RavenForever, Samster The Hamster, AngelicxDeath, Kagome51, and Lady-Ashanya. Rock on, my friends!


	9. Chapter Eight

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. And I don't own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Eight

I linger in the doorway.

Danny pushed the door open and led Sam in, holding her bag on his shoulder. She had an old backpack slung over her shoulder. "You can stay down here. We have a pull out couch." Sam followed everything seeming new and familiar in the same instant.

It felt strange. Her head swam. It had been hard going out into the world again. In the hospital she could just lie there and try to remember. There was no rush, no penalty for not remembering. But now she felt horrible about not remembering. These people had given so much to try to stop her from going away, and in her mind they weren't all that far from strangers.

Except for Danny. It was amazing how quickly things had come back about him. Red is his favorite color. His birthday is March twenty-second. He wanted to be an astronaut. But somehow she felt she was missing the big things. There was something he wasn't telling her. Like he didn't think she could handle it yet. It scared her senseless.

"Thanks," she muttered let the bag slide of her shoulder and fall to the couch with a soft thud. She stared at Danny and he grinned at her and then broke eye contact quickly and started to put her bag on the couch.

He shrugged. "Well I can't have you sleeping on the streets."

She laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure all the sleaze out there would have a field day with a fifteen-year-old." He seemed to stiffen when he said it. Like it triggered something he would rather not think about.

He spun around. "Why would you say that?" he breathed. But there was sort of a muted terror in his eyes.

"I was just kidding. What's wrong?" Blue eye's met lavender and something past between them. There was something in Danny's gaze that Sam didn't understand. She knew it was deeper than just friendly concern. She wasn't sure she wanted to.

"Nothing." He closed his eyes and when he opened them there was just the normal bright twinkle to them. "I'm going to grab something to drink. You want something?"

"Which ever," she said thoughtlessly, still shaken. "Just some water would be great."

"Okay."

Sam fell back onto the worn couch and let her eyes drift closed. There was something he wasn't telling her. In fact she was pretty sure there were two things. She felt the couch move as Danny sat down. She kept her eyes closed. "Why don't you trust me?"

She could feel him stare at her and her eyes fluttered open. He swallowed. "What do you mean?" He smiled, obviously forced.

Sam was starting to get frustrated. "Stop playing dumb, Danny. I may not remember some stuff but I _know_ your smarter than this. What are you hiding from me? I thought we were best friends."

"We are!" He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You just have a lot to deal with right now. Just let me deal with my problems. Please, Sam."

"Sure, that's what best friends are for. Too ignore the fact that the other one is hiding things from them and thinks it's best this way!" She snapped hopping up and walking towards the door.

"Sam! This isn't my fault," he said. He sounded so desperate Sam faltered in her step.

She turned around rage burning in violet eyes. "Oh, and who, prey tells, fault is it?" Venom dripped from her voice.

He looked so vulnerable at the moment. "I guess you're right. It's my fault. Oh God, Sam, all this is my fault." He collapsed back onto the couch. His elbows rested on his knees as he dropped his head into his hands.

She walked over, drawn to him. She sat down and leaned into his side and wrapper her arm around his shoulders. They sat there for what seemed like an eternity. Nothing went through Sam's head. She felt cold. Her arms, her legs, her cheeks, everything tingled with a sort of frozen-numbness.

Danny finally whispered. "What if we don't make it?"

Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought. "We have to," she whispered.

Danny shifted away from her so he could face her. He lifted her chin so she would meet his gaze. His always-blue eyes looked bloodshot from crying. "What if we don't. Sam, the odds are against us."

"Forget the odds," she glanced down. "I'm tired of odds. I'm tired of lies and lawyers and not remembering. I'm sick of all that." She choked down a sob. "Why us? We never hurt anyone."

He wrapped his arms around her small frame as she cried onto his shoulder. "I wish I had an answer for you. I really do."

She leaned the side of her head against his. "Don't leave me."

"Never," he said softly. "No matter what happens, you're stuck with me."

Sam let out a shaky breath. "Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise." She felt Danny grin and hold her a little tighter.

"Good."

**__**

Much better. The last two chapters were lousy I was about to stop writing for a while till I got it back. But I'm proud of this chapter. A vast improvement. Enough about me, on to you guys. My wonderful reviewers this time were: tlegg11, Silverflare07, q.t a.k.a spice, Shadow Sakura, audi katia, Possesed Angel, Samster The Hamster, Spice Of Life, Annie, GhostieLo, Ryo's destiny, HomicidalJungleCat, KittenGoMoo, Moody Maud, PyroDragon2006, The Good Girl, autumngold, kuromori, IceSugarHigh, RavenForever, RainbowSerenity, and AngelicxDeath. As always a million thanks to each of you.


	10. Chapter Nine

**__**

Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I _DO _own Danny Phantom! I own them all! Danny is my love slave. Hahaha eat your heart out fangirls! Comes crashing back to Earth Ow!

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Chapter Nine

Of alarm clock screaming monsters calling my name.

Blue eyes stared at the ceiling for an eternity. Sleep was becoming a precious commodity in Danny's life, one he saw all to little of. It seemed less and less lately that he worried about normal teenage problems. In fact he wished for earlier that year where all they had to worry about was hiding his ghost powers and passing Bio.

Suddenly he felt so abandoned, so incredibly lost and stranded. He had his parents, Jazz, Tuck, and Sam, but at the same time he was in the middle of this alone. He was the only one living in reality. The rest of them were convinced that he was a normal boy, and Sam was carrying his baby. He hadn't told his parents but they seemed to have come under that impression. Which currently suited Danny just fine.

But sometimes it got really lonely. He'd never really gone through anything by himself. Sam and Tucker always knew what was going on in his life, same as he did in theirs. He hadn't been spending as much time with Tuck as he probably should be. If he was Tucker he'd be pretty bitter right now, and he did have a tendency to develop jealousy bouts.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sort of strangled muted scream. Danny jumped out of bed and darted to the hall. He peeked in on Jazz's room but seeing her still asleep he knew instantly it had to be Sam. He took the stairs two at a time.

Sam was sitting there in a cold sweet, clutching the sheet in a white-knuckled grip. She tears were streaming down her checks. Danny didn't even remember dropping to her side. "What's wrong Sam?" She looked at him with horrified eyes. Her amethyst eyes so dialated they appeared black in the darkness of the Fenton's living room. She was shaking uncontrolably. Danny reached out and brushed her bangs that were plastered to her forehead.

She flinched. Scooting back into the back of the couch. "It wasn't a dream. It really happened." She whispered, looking down. He grabbed her hand. He squeezed it gently and let her get out what she needed to. "It's not your baby is it." She stared right into his eyes.

"What makes you say—"

She interjected. "You know what, Danny. I'm sick of being lied to. I swear if you can't tell me the truth maybe I'm better off in foster care somewhere." She said bitterly, her voice rising.

He sighed and got up and walked over to the window and stood there for a moment, staring out at the empty intersection next to his house. "You want the truth?" He spun to face her. "I'm sick of lying to you, Sam. But you need more time."

She gave a bitter laugh and didn't look up from where she was twisting the sheet in her hands. "Time? Since when has anyone had ideal situations like that? I understand what your trying to do, and I appreciate it. I mean, I really do. But I've lived my whole life surrounded by lies and false promises. I don't want them, Danny, I really don't."

"You want to know everything?"

She looked a little uncertain but she nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. Why don't you start with why I'm pregnant. I think I know but I want to hear it from you. And the scar on my wrist, it's not like the others… There all jagged and shallow. That one is already healed but it's still all shiny so it happened recently and I bet you know why." She was babbling and they both knew it. She looked up and their eyes met. "It's time for me to stop living in my own imaginary world, Danny."

He turned his back to her and stared out the window again. The silence crept on, stretching between them. "You were raped," he mumbled. "We don't know who they were. Just some random guy on the street. You were walking home from my house. I should have gone with you. I had a bad feeling about it, but I let you go anyway. And this happened." He hung his head, trying to swallow back the wave of guilt

He felt her arms snake around him from behind. She didn't say anything, just stood there, pressing her check against his shoulder blade. He swallowed and went on his voice sounding strangled. "You started acting different. I blew it off figuring it was just some girl thing that you had to go through. I could have stopped you…" His throat closed off and he couldn't talk anymore.

"I tried to kill myself, didn't I?" He nodded. "Did I know I was pregnant yet?" Danny shook his head.

He shook himself out of the embrace and stared at Sam. "I'm sorry." She looked so young, staring emotionlessly at the carpet. Her nightshirt was too big for her and fell limply off her right shoulder. He could see a cut there from the glass.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm guessing you stopped me?" He nodded. "Is that what your sorry about?"

"No! I just it never should have got that far. I never should have let it."

She peered at him critically. "Danny, I'm my own person, whether you like it or not."

"I know." Silence resumed again and the moments crept by. "You found out about a month and a half later that you were pregnant. You tried to tell your parents that you were raped and I'm guessing something went wrong. I wasn't there and when you woke up you—"

"Couldn't remember," she finished. He nodded.

She turned and walked back over to the makeshift bed and fell onto her back. "It's not your fault. It happened. I'm pregnant, I guess in the big picture it doesn't matter how it happened."

"I'll do anything I can to make this easier." He was desperate. Something screamed at him that he was losing her.

"Just go back to bed," she whispered.

He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. "Sam, please don't do this."

"You said you'd make this easier, go back to bed. I just need some time to think, alright." He sighed. And stood slowly and watched her for a moment. Tears were appearing at the bottom of her eyes. Somehow, Danny knew it was over. He had made the wrong choice, and now Sam was having to pay for it.

**__**

Wow, definitely the longest chapter in Imaginary. Also, yet again we've hit out half way mark. Yeah-ya! But anyway to thank my reviewers: Silverflare07, Shadow Sakura, Akiko, autumngold, dannyandsambelongtogether, Piezo, Spice Of Life, Moody Maud, Annie, Sakura Scout, Rugsrat, The Weasil, IceSugarHigh, Possesed Angel, Weeble Wobble Chic, RavenForever, RainbowSerenity, The Good Girl, Ryo's destiny, Samster The Hamster, and AngelicxDeath.

IMPORTANTE! Today I have finally decided to address the question everyone has been asking since the prologue of Hello: Is this a Danny Sam romance. Answer: Yes and no. Fallen as a series, definitely. But if you haven't figured it out yet I'm not big on giving my characters perfect lives because no one has them. Are they going to fall in love, yes. Is it going to be a boom out of the blue thing like in most fics, no. But for those of you who are planning to stick around I'd say that the real quality fluff starts later. Thanks as always!


	11. Chapter Ten

**__**

Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Ten

Let me stay where the wind will whisper to me.

Sam was up and had already folded away the hide-a-bed before Danny got downstairs. He blinked groggily at her. "How long have you been up?" He slurred.

Sam picked at a little spot on the couch cushion. "Didn't go back to sleep," she murmured.

Danny could have smacked himself. He suddenly felt horrible for going back to sleep. Poor Sam was up trying to sort all this out by herself. "I'm sorry."

"Will you stop saying that?" She glared at him a moment before dropping her eyes to the couch again. "You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. I haven't dealt with this in the greatest way, but you were there every single moment you needed to be." She sighed and fell over to her side. "I'm tired of thinking. Can we call up Tuck and go rent some mind-numbingly stupid movies?"

Danny sat down next to her feet. "Sure that's what you want to do?"

She nodded. "And I'm craving some Mint Oreo Ice Cream." She smiled weekly over at Danny.

"Great! She's only two months pregnant and I'm already dealing with cravings."

Sam laughed shortly. "_You're _not dealing with cravings, _I _am. And I think until you have to deal with either morning sickness or me going schizophrenic on you, you have no right to complain."

Danny looked down at her. "I can live with that."

Sam's eyes drifted shut. "At least one of us can," she whispered. She took a shaky breath and then opened her eyes, slight traces of tears in the purple depths. "Thanks for everything, Danny. I really do appreciate it." Danny didn't know what to say, so he just sat there trying to look supportive. "I'm sick of thinking. Today everything is going on hold. If either of you mention lawyers, babies, or families today so help me, I'll hurt you."

"I'll make sure the message is passed," he assured her. "You want some breakfast or just wait for some ice cream?"

She sighed as she sat up. "I'd better eat something. Won't do me any good to end up back in the hospital."

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The three of them tromped through the door at about six thirty hoping to get some dinner. "Mom," Danny called. "We're home."

"We're in the kitchen, dear," drifted back at them. The three exchanged a look all clearly trying to think of the last time Danny's parents _weren't _in the lab. The three of them ventured of together. They stopped dead in the doorway there sat a man in a suit with an open briefcase, papers everywhere, and a laptop whirring gently in front of him. They all three knew instantly what he was.

He turned and smiled brightly at them. "And this lovely little girl must be Samantha."

Danny glanced over at Sam. She was sporting her vacant lost look again. But she looked pale, like all the blood had just drained from her face. "Hi," she whispered, obviously a knee-jerk reaction.

Maddie smiled at her, offering he chair to Sam. "This is Bryce Steihling, Sam. He's going to help us try to get guardian status for you until you finish high school at least."

Bryce offered his hand and Sam just stood there staring at it. Danny looked over at Tuck who nodded to the lawyer and then Sam. Danny sighed, and put a hand in the small of her back, guiding her forward. Once Sam took the first step it seemed to break her trance. She shook his hand quickly and pulled her hand back as if burned.

"I'm going to try as hard as I can to keep you out of foster homes, Sam." She stared at the floor not responding. The moment crept on, everyone obviously uncomfortable but unwilling to break the silence.

"So if you lose, I'll never get my life back."

Bryce's patented smile faltered. "Well, I wouldn't look at it that way but—"

"But that's what it is," She cut him off. "You're not the one whose world is falling apart. You just have to sit there with your fake smile, and earn your money."

"Sam!" Maddie scorned.

"I hate people like you," Sam spit out. With that she spun on her heel and ran for the door. Danny got in her path and grabbed on and held tight to her. Sam twisted and wriggled and screamed.

"We're going to go talk. We'll be right back," Danny said. Taking Sam's wrist in his he led her out of the room and up the stairs. She was sobbing uncontrollably now. He turned and led her to his room. He walked over to his bed, Sam following meekly now.

She collapsed onto his bed and curled up into a fetal position. Danny felt so helpless for all the times they had been through this, one would think he would be figuring it out. Each time he felt more helpless than the time before. It was so much more heart wrenching. He sat next to her and rubbed little circles on her back.

After about five minutes she calmed down enough that Danny could make out what she was saying. "I hate my life."

"Don't say that," he whispered. "Please, Sam, don't ever say that."

She raised her head and her next words broke Danny's heart. "I do. I hate it. Why couldn't you have just let me die?"

**__**

I know it's short again. Grrr… Imaginary is so much harder to write than Hello was. Wonder why. But thanks to everyone who's reading it anyways. And especially those who are reviewing: Annie, Wind Cat x5, Shadow Sakura, Sakura Scout, IceSugarHigh, RavenForever, Piezo, Weeble Wobble Chic, autumngold, Moody Maud, PyroDragon2006, Silverflare07, Possesed Angel, Storm Sword, RainbowSerenity, AngelicxDeath, Samster The Hamster, Lady-Ashanya, Ryo's destiny, and Spice Of Life. You guys are awesome.

P.S. I just started doing request so if anyone has one email me. 


	12. Chapter Eleven

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Eleven

Where the raindrops, as they're falling, tell a story.

Sam squeezed Danny's again, as if maybe if she didn't, he would turn and walk away and leave her here to face her nightmare alone. She stood on the steps of her old house just staring at it wondering if she could ring the bell. Everything seemed so surreal. It hadn't even really dawned on her where she was yet. She was all but lost in the floating detached sensation.

"You need to knock at some point, Sam." She nodded, yet she didn't move. It was all coming back to her now but some how the place seemed more cold and threatening then she remembered. But maybe that wasn't her memory. Things had changed. This was no longer a safe place for her, it was a tangible reminder of a living nightmare.

And now she had to go in. Danny sighed. It sounded tired and defeated not frustrated. "Do you want me to ring the bell?"

She shook her hair lightly her hair fanning out slightly. "I can do this." She paused for a heartbeat. "And even if I can't, I _need_ to." He squeezed her hand, then slowly slipped his hand out of hers. Sam glanced at him for a moment and then took the two steps up to the doorbell. It was two of the hardest steps she had taken in her life.

As she pushed in the button the cheerful sound of chimes floated out to them. They seemed to laugh at her, reminding her of her happy childhood spent in this cold stone structure. She whirled around suddenly and almost lunged of the steps. Danny managed to snag her wrist. "I can't do this," she whispered fiercely.

"You don't have to all you have to do is be present. That's what Bryce said," he assured her.

She shook her head. "You don't get it. I can't handle going back in there." She opened her mouth to say more but the door slowly opened at the same instant. Sam turned around horrified.

"Sammy?" An elderly woman in a motorized wheel chair sat there. It took Sam a moment before memory came flooding back to her, her grandma on her mom's side. Probably the closest thing to a positive influence Sam had had growing up. But she hadn't moved in with them till right after eighth grade graduation. Sam hadn't gotten to see her a lot before then though her mom would let Sam talk during there once a week phone calls.

"Grandma," Sam whispered. Sam stood there for a moment wondering what to do.

Her grandma cast a nervous look over her shoulder. "You're dad's running late for work so he's still around. Run down to the basement I'll call you guys when you can come up."

Sam froze. He was here. The girl that hadn't done anything had been forced to leave her home while the monster stayed her with out consequence. "Thank you," Danny murmured to her grandma and grabbed her hand. He pulled her through a lounge sort of room then down a flight of stairs into the movie area. He turned and looked at her.

She walked over to a chair and dropped heavily into it. They sat there in the dark in silence. "He still just living his normal life. He doesn't care," she murmured. Danny sat down on the arm of the chair, rubbing her arm. He stayed silent letting her get what she needed to out. "I mean everyone has told you don't get pregnant cause then your responsible for a life other than your own. I believed them. But then he doesn't care what happens to me."

"You're just a better person than he is, Sam," he breathed. "He's sleaze, don't even worry about it."

She shock her head. "Don't you get it? This whole time I haven't been thinking of it as a baby. I've been thinking of it as a pregnancy. It's going to grow up. It's going to go through kindergarten and grade school, junior high. Danny, someday it's going to be our age. It's not something I have to worry bout for the next nine months this is the rest of my life we are talking about. I don't know if I can handle that," Sam whispered desperately.

"What do you mean?"

Sam looked down at the carpeting. "Danny, if I get rid of it. Does that make me a horrible person?" She looked over at him.

She saw Danny swallow nervously. They were getting onto dangerous territory now and they both knew it. "By 'get rid of it', are we talking adoption or abortion?"

Sam stared a head blankly at the off TV screen that was barely visible in the light from the runner lights on the stairs. "I dunno. I don't know anything anymore, Danny. I'm so confused. About everything. I don't know what to do." He squeezed her shoulder. "What should I do?"

Danny shook his head slightly, long bangs brushing his forehead. "I don't know, Sam. I honestly have no idea."

"Maybe we are just horrible people," she said softly. "I've always seen abortion as wrong but now…I'm just confused."

He raised his hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's harder when you in the middle of it, that's for sure."

"Is there even a right decision?" she breathed. Danny just shrugged and once again they lapsed into silence. Suddenly for the first time, Sam realized she wasn't the same person she was at the beginning of the school year. Dreams got crushed, ideals were shattered, and all she was left with was moments that had faded into memory. And sometimes she didn't even have those.

**__**

I know I'm so mean to Sam. I'm giving her a two-book break after this. Time to pick on Tuck! Hehe. I'm so mean. Danny and Sam both get tortured in book Five. Hehe I moved book four up to book five since so much plot got added to Imaginary it was hard to cram it all into one book. So I'm moving the plot for their Junior Year down to the Sophomore year and came up with a new plot for there Junior Year. But enough about the future lets talk about now! Thanks to my wonderful reviewers: dannyandsambelongtogether, The Good Girl x2, gothmiko, Fox of Light, autumngold, Rabid-Tortise, Annie, Silverflare07, PyroDragon2006, Moody Maud, Possesed Angel, Sakura Scout, IceSugarHigh, Ryo's destiny, Spice of Life, Shadow Sakura, Wind Cat, Samster The Hamster, Lady-Ashanya, RavenForever , RainbowSerenity, CoLdPLaYeR813, AngelicxDeath, and Weeble Wobble Chic. I love you guys!

P.S. – By Request I mean I've had a few people ask if I write one shots if they give me a couple guidelines and a theme. Yeppers. It's my new thing. So if you've got a challenge/Request go ahead and bring it on! Hehe.


	13. Chapter Twelve

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Twelve

If you need to leave the world you live in.

She stared into Danny's uncertain blue eyes. The darkness seemed almost suffocating now. Suddenly a voice came from the top of the stairs. "Samantha?" Violet eyes went hazy for a moment trying to match the voice she hadn't heard since she woke up with that of faded memories.

"Mom," she whispered. Sam got up and walked to the point were she was partway into the light streaming down from upstairs. She didn't go up though she spun around and looked at Danny who hadn't moved. He shrugged nodding at the stairs. He wanted her to do this on her own. After all the times he had babied her, suddenly he wanted her to step up and do something on her own. Why now?

The women darted down the stairs and pulled Sam to her. "Oh thank God you're alright! Where have you been staying." Sam didn't know what to say she just stood there and looked at the women that seemed genuinely concerned. The silence pressed on and the women let go of her.

Danny came to her side and slipped his hand into her shaking one. Sam squeezed it hard. It was amazing his hand didn't bruise with how often she would do this. Sam smelled her mother's expensive perfume and her stomach turned.

Her mind flashed back to the fight, the pain and suddenly she couldn't remember her mother being there. She glanced over at Danny. At times like this she almost wished that Danny could read her mind. Life would be so much simpler. "She's been staying with me," Danny answered.

"Danny?" her mom, asked. "I haven't seen you since graduation. How are you, dear?" Her mother put on her most cheerful façade as if having Danny there had suddenly changed everything.

Danny's eyes seemed to harden, the concern replacing itself with a cold look. "Shouldn't it be Sam that your asking that question to?" His eyes seemed to darken in anger.

Sam gently tugged on his hand and his eyes snapped back to hers. She shot him a pleading look. This is my battle, she thought desperately, hoping he was catching it. He seemed to cause he dropped his gaze and looked back at her apologetically. She squeezed his hand again.

Her mother cleared her throat and the two turned their attention back to her. "Well, no use standing down here in the dark," she laughed nervously. Turning on her heel she started up the stairs, Sam followed meekly and Danny trailed her. "Come on up stairs. I'm assuming you two need something."

Sam glanced at the Danny's book bag, and then back ahead. "We need some signatures, from you and grandma."

Her mother froze and asked in a horrified voice. "What for?" Sam glanced nervously at Danny. Suddenly not sure she could tell them.

"My parents want temporary custody of Sam until she graduates," Danny provided for her.

Sam's mom laughed bitterly. "Oh they do, do they. Any particular reason they think I can't raise my daughter?"

The two teens shared a confused glance. "But mom you signed a release that you refused to be my guardian."

Mrs. Manson spun around furious. "I did no such thing. And if you think lying about such things is going to make me sign anything, your wrong, Samantha. Maybe your father is right. We're better off without you." Sam stumbled backwards as if she'd been slapped.

"But dad's lawyer showed me the papers. They had your signature on them. If you just don't want to own up to dumpi—"

Mrs. Manson reached forward and grabbed the front of Sam's tank top pulling her closer. "You listen to me. I never did dump you on anybody."

Sam laughed cynically. "Except for my nanny, my day care teacher, my babysitter, and Danny's family."

Mrs. Manson dropped Sam's shirt shoving her backwards slightly. Sam stumbled and Danny grabbed her around the waist and helped her to stand. Her mom turned and glared at a picture of herself and Sam as a two-year-old that hung on the wall of the lounge. "You need to leave, Samantha. And if you ever come back, so help me God, I'll make sure you never do again." Sam stood there, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt Danny's arms tighten around her waist.

"Come on, Sam. It's time to go," he whispered. He gently pulled her towards the door. He pulled her out of the entryway. As he closed the storm door behind them, Danny turned to her. "I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that!" Sam almost screamed, tears streaming down her face now. "Maybe it would be better for the world if I just went away. Maybe I do need to go far away from here, so you and Tuck can just forget me and get on with your lives."

He shook his head. "Moving won't make us forget you, Sam. Nothing you can ever do will make us forget about you."

"Maybe it would be better if you would. I'm a lousy person, and a lousy friend."

Danny looked sadly at her and Sam tried to block out the pain in the gaze. "Let's just go home."

Sam looked hollowed-eyed back at the stone structure. "It's your home, Danny. Not mine. I appreciate everything, I really do. But I have to find where I belong. If there is anywhere."

"You'll find it, Sam," he promised.

She sighed. "If only I had half the faith you do, Danny, I would be okay."

**__**

A really short chapter. I'm sorry. This one was though to write for some reason. Anyway I have a note for you guys. HAS ANYONE ELSE CHECKED OUT THE MOST RECOMMENDED LIST YET. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. BOTH HELLO AND IMAGINARY ARE IN THE TOP TEN. AND IMAGINARY IS THE NUMBER ONE STORY. OMG, YOU GUYS ROCK! THANKS A MILLION YOU GUYS. And thanks to my reviewers this time: Shadow Sakura, Weeble Wobble Chic, The Fuzy Llama, I LUV FLUFF, dannyandsambelongtogether, autumngold, Fox of Light, Spice of Life, Moody Maud, RainbowSerenity, Ryo's destiny, SuperRyoga, Annie, Lady-Ashanya, The Good Girl, Samster The Hamster, PyroDragon2006, CoLdPLaYeR813, q.t a.k.a spice, Possesed Angel, AngelicxDeath, IceSugarHigh, and RavenForever. Thanks again everyone.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Thirteen

Lay your head down and stay awhile.

"And that's pretty much what happened," Danny concluded rubbing his left arm, a nervous habit he had picked up around fifth grade. He glanced up at the other five people seated at the table. Jazz was tearing at a paper napkin. His mom and dad were exchanging a look.

Bryce scribbled down some more notes on a piece of yellow legal ledger. "So she totally denied signing anything?" Bryce asked gently.

"She said she would never give up raising me," Sam responded softly. "But she's good at lying. Had a lifetime worth of practice at it."

Bryce ran a hand through his hair short dark hair. "But you saw a secondary signature on there?" he prodded.

"Definitely," said Danny. He looked over at Sam. She still looked a little to pale and the bags under her eyes showed starkly against it. The normal defiant spark gone from her eyes. "Sam, why don't you go to bed?"

She shook her head and started to object when she was cut off. "Danny's right," Jazz put in. "You look half dead. Let's go upstairs." Jazz got up and tugged gently on Sam's arm. Sam shot Danny a look.

"Don't worry. I'll come get you if we need you," he assured her. Sam nodded, her eyes drifting sort of half-closed. She forced them back open again and followed Jazz out of the room.

Danny watched her go, with concerned eyes. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Mr. Steiling regarding him with a kind look. "You're a good friend, Danny. She's lucky to have you."

Danny shook his head. "But I didn't get the signatures. I'm sorry."

"No, it's not your fault," Bryce assured the dark-haired teen. "Some people just like to make things difficult. You're lucky you ended up with as supportive a family as you did. Letting your girlfriend stay here."

Danny stared at the table for a while. "She's not my girlfriend," he said softly, but Bryce heard him none the less.

"But the child is yours?" Danny shook his head. He could feel the three adults staring at him but he didn't look up. He sat there staring at his old red shoes. They were falling apart and the white had turned to more of a dull tan with dirt. But they were easier to look at then his family.

"If it's not your child, Danny, whose is it?" Bryce asked gently as if talking to a very small child, not a teen boy that was the supposed father of his best friend's baby.

Danny looked up and looked around the table. His father looked at him seriously, as did Bryce. His mom gave him a small encouraging smile as if knowing how hard this was for him. He didn't want to tell. He wanted the world to go on thinking that it was his child and that nothing had happened to Sam. "She was raped," he whispered. "She told me and I kind of lost it and assumed it was Dash. I punched him, that's why I got suspended."

"Why didn't you tell us," Maddie reached over and put her arm around his shoulders, and suddenly Danny felt like he did when he was five. As if just by telling his mom, everything was magically better, and if it wasn't she would fix it.

"I dunno. I thought it was no big deal. As long as Sam was fine it was in the past." He left out the part about her suicide. They didn't need to know that. That was something that was just between him and Sam. He probably shouldn't have even told about her getting raped but he was not going to lie under oath and if they kept this up, that's where the two of them would be.

"But then she found out that she was pregnant," Maddie concluded. All Danny could do was nod meekly.

Bryce hissed through his teeth. "I'm glad you told me, Danny. It's important for me to know whose child it is. Though I'm not going to lie to you. If it's not your child I highly doubt your parents can get guardian status."

Danny's head snapped up. "What do you mean?"

"Danny, the courts aren't going to let her stay with you if you two aren't in a long term relationship."

Danny almost jumped out of his seat. "I've been her best friend since kindergarten, but since were not dating and we haven't had sex, she has to get shipped somewhere else?! That's the stupidest thing I've heard in my life!"

Bryce shook his head. "I'll admit it's not ideal but it's what's going to happen."

"So I'm going to lose Sam?" Danny wanted an answer. He wanted Bryce to tell him they could still win, that there was a loophole that Sam was old enough to decide where she stayed. But the older man shook his head.

"I'm afraid it's starting to look that way." At the same moment Bryce said it, Danny happened to glance towards the door. The flash of black told him all he needed to know. Sam had heard. "Sam!" he called, getting up to go after her.

Maddie caught his wrist and pulled him back down. "Give her some time. She's dealing with a lot right now. I'm sure that's what she needs most right now."

Danny fell back into the seat even though his mind screamed at him that it was the wrong thing to do. He nodded maybe she did just need time to think. It made sense, so why was he so worried?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Danny!" The hands on his shoulders shook him harder. He slowly blinked open his eye, trying to make them adjust. He looked up at his nervous sister glancing down at him.

"Jazz? Whaz da madder." He slurred, trying to force himself to focus on being awake.

Her eyes met his, filled with fear. "She's gone, Danny. Sam's not here."

"Did you check the bathroom?" He asked rubbing his blue eyes with the heel of his hands.

Jazz shook her head, flipping long auburn hair over her shoulders. "You don't get it. She's not here. Her stuff is gone. Her bed is made. The deadbolt on the front door is unlocked." She paused letting it sink in. She paused between each word as if the point had to be stressed. "Sam is gone."

**__**

Sorry, I know it's been a whole day and a half since the last update. Wow… I suddenly sound incredibly obsessive. LoL. But you all tolerate my writing anyways. My favoritest of favorite people today are: q.t a.k.a spice, Shadow Sakura, Divagurl277, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, Sakura Scout, autumngold, Spice of Life, Moody Maud, gothmiko, audi katia, Fox of Light, Wind Cat, The Fuzy Llama, Kagome51 x2, CoLdPLaYeR813, Ryo's destiny, Samster The Hamster, RainbowSerenity, IceSugarHigh, AngelicxDeath, Weeble Wobble Chic, RavenForever, and The Good Girl. Rock on my fellow Danny Phantom-ers!

P.S. Everybody's heard about the episode where Danny falls head over heals for Sam right? I so can not wait!


	15. Chapter Fourteen

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Fourteen

Though you may not remember dreaming.

Danny sighed again as he took of for the time that night. He was running out of paces to look. He had been to Sam's, Tucker's, Usher Elementary, Porter Junior High, Casper High, and the Amnity Park Zoo. Danny was officially out of ideas. If he were Sam and he didn't want to be found where would he go?

He tried to think. There had to be someplace they had hung out when they were little that he wasn't thinking of. They hadn't done much but play at each other's houses when they were little. There had to be something. The clubhouse! Now there was something that he hadn't thought of in forever.

Back in sixth grade they had figured out the code to the lock on the door of the fishing shack down by the river. Tucker had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and had seen someone open it. They had hung out down there a lot that year until they had gotten caught and ran away. It wasn't much of anything but it was someplace he could look.

Danny flew to the river as quickly as possible. He landed near the shack. He quickly punched the top button, the bottom button and the second from the bottom and then pulled. It came open just like he'd always remembered. He searched through the four different rooms quickly and much to his great disappointment, she wasn't there. He was out of ideas and every second he wasted trying to think, who knows what was happening to Sam.

He punched the wall, biting back a curse. He fell backwards against the wall and slid to the floor. It was times like this that he really hated himself. Sam was in trouble and he needed to pull through and what was he doing? Sitting on the concrete floor of an old beach shack, trying desperately not to cry.

Why would Sam do this? He thought she was past this, apparently he was wrong. He wiped furiously at his eyes and shoved himself to his feet he wasn't helping anyone by sitting here. He had to find her. He wasn't going to think about it. He didn't think he could bear it.

He stumbled out and tugged on the doorknob, making sure that the door had locked again. Taking to the sky he sort of wandered along the river wandering about places he can look. He stared down at the dark rushing water trying to think where to go.

He glanced up just in time see the bridge but not enough time to decide what to do about it. He ended catching his shoulder on the edge of a cable and tumbling to the paved surface of the two-lane bridge. He started to turn and try to sit. The pain lanced through him and he hissed falling to his back. "Great time to not go intangible, Danny," he muttered bitterly.

Now he felt officially stupid, Sam was out there and he had rammed himself into a bridge. After about three attempts he managed to sit up and get to his feet. He was about to take off when he noticed a figure standing on the railing, holding onto one of the beams next to them for support. "Hey," he called. The figure spun losing their precarious grip on the support beam.

Danny stared on in horror as gravity and the person slipped with a scream towards the river. A small hand darted out and caught the bottom railing. He darted forward and managed to hit the railing and almost flipped himself over it from the sheer force he hit it with. He clung to the top railing as he leaned over.

It hit him all at once who it was. "Sam!" She craned her neck up to look at him. She opened her mouth to say something and the moment she did her fingers slid off of the bar and Sam fell. Danny instantly threw himself over and raced towards the water.

Danny literally threw himself at her, grabbing onto her waist right as they hit the water. It was like hitting a wall of glass, you knew it happened but they pain wouldn't sink in till later. He squeezed his eyes shut against the swiftly moving murky current to block the pain. The torrent almost ripped Sam away from him and he held her as tight as he could. He would honestly be surprised if he wasn't gripping her tight enough to leave bruises.

Seconds ticked by and his lungs were starting to burn, screaming for air. He tried his hardest to break surface. For the first time since they fell it crossed Danny's mind that this could kill them. They may not be able to fight there way out of this one. As if triggered by the thought he felt Sam go limp in his arms.

Fear swept through him and he gave it one last shot at breaking surface, his mind starting to go fuzzy. He managed to break. He managed to get his head up, dragging Sam up with him. It took him an eternity to fight his way over to the edge. He collapsed on top of Sam's limp form, not able to move if he tried. He managed to move his fingers to her left wrist, the rubbery scar on her wrist still prominent.

"Come on, Sam," he breathed. He waited not feeling anything. He shifted his numb stiff fingers, noticing for the first time that sometime during the ordeal he had transformed back without realizing it. Still nothing. He was getting desperate. Tears welled up in his already sore eyes. "No," he whispered. He shifted his fingers to her neck, falling limply to her side, facing her. Danny still was not finding anything.

The tears started to come. He didn't have the energy to move. Danny lay there, face down in the mud his fingers resting lightly against Sam's neck. Just sitting there, praying that morning wouldn't come until he passed out from sheer exhaustion.

**__**

I know only thirteen words of dialogue in this entire chapter. And that's including Danny talking to himself! Oh well. One of the worst chapters in my opinion but it needed to be written. And I know we all can't wait till fanning the flames! I'm 95% sure Shades of Grey premiers on Friday. Hurray! Thanks to all my phenomenal reviewers: RavenForever, Possesed Angel, Spice Of Life, Lady-Ashanya, audi katia, Ryo's destiny, q.t a.k.a spice, Dark Lil' Hanyou, Dragonslayer527, Annie, Moody Maud, Divagurl277, IceSugarHigh, autumngold, RainbowSerenity, CoLdPLaYeR813, aeris9919, The Good Girl, Sakura Scout, AxD, Fox of Light, Kagome51, and Samster The Hamster. Yo all supa stas!


	16. Chapter Fifteen

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

Chapter Fifteen

Something waits for you to breathe again.

Sam could have stayed in the darkness forever. The detached floating sensation seemed like an answer to a prayer after being chained to a painful reality for almost two months. She never wanted to wake up, she laid there, willing her brain to never work again. The next thing that hit her was the undeniable cold.

Suddenly, she wondered how she hadn't felt it instantly. Her teeth chattered loudly and everywhere prickled in numbness. Her still slightly damp clothes clung to her. It crossed her mind that it would be a good long time before she could wear a crop top again, if ever. She looked around, pink beginning to tint the eastern skyline, memories from last night coming back to her.

She sat up suddenly, looking for her best friend. Danny was lying next to her breathing evenly. She sighed, dropping back down onto the ground. They were alive and safe, for now. Sam had given up looking at things in the sense other than 'the moment'. The moment was what they were living in and that was all they were guaranteed.

She turned her head and watched Danny sleep for a few awhile. She bit her lip, watching as a lock of his bangs would slip down over his eyelid and he would brush it back unconsciously. She had become so used to Danny being there, turning and he was at her side. Now her parents were trying to rip apart a romance that never happened, killing her friendship in the process.

She couldn't imagine life without him. Briefly it crossed her mind that this sounded a lot like she was in love with him. She shook her head slightly dispelling the idea. She didn't have time to fall for Danny right now. She needed a best friend much more than she needed a boyfriend. Besides Danny wanted Paulina not her. As much as she hated Paulina, who Danny loved was Danny's choice not hers. All she could do was be as supportive as he had been for her.

But as much as she hated the idea of Danny with Paulina, it hurt her just as much to picture him with anyone else. Perhaps they had just been best friends for too long. She knew what Danny needed and it was someone he could trust with his secret and all the burdens and baggage that went with it. The things that were part of Danny that no one else would understand. The back of her mind whispered that she'd just described herself but she shook her head. They both new each other to well for that. They'd kill each other before the week was up.

She reached out and brushed his bangs of his forehead. He moaned and rolled away. A slight smile curled her lips as she reached out and shook him. His eyes instantly popped open, he blinked a few times and she watched his sky-blue eyes adjust to the light. "Sam," he whispered. He struggled to sit up. "Are you alright?"

She leaned back putting her arms behind her. Her palms sunk into the mud, feeling slightly strange. "I am if you are." He sat up and ran through his hands through his hair while she spoke. Upon hearing her answer he stopped and shot her a look.

"Yes or no?"

Sam grinned. "I'm fine," she assured him. "What about you?"

"I'll live," he muttered rubbing a stripe-like bruise that disappeared beneath the collar of his shirt on his shoulder.

She suddenly felt really concerned. "What happened?"

He looked at her with resentment for a moment then stared down at his beaten-up red shoes. "I ran into a bridge." Sam sat there for a moment thinking about it. She tried not to laugh. Danny glared up at her upon hearing her stifled giggle. "It's not funny, Sam!"

She grinned. "So, you just flew into it?"

Danny looked like his blue eyes were about to fall out of his head. "You remember about that?"

"Awhile ago, Mr. Obvious," Sam grinned over at him. "Your not exactly great at hiding things."

"Why didn't you tell me."

She shrugged. "It was more fun this way. It was about as subtle as I'm sure the bridge was." She beamed over at him. "I'm sure it was a very sudden sneak attack."

Danny glared at her but this time there was no anger in it. She swore he was fighting off a smile. "Of course it was. You gotta watch them."

She shook her head. "Danny Phantom vs. The Amnity Park Centennial Bridge. We should sell tickets! We could be rich," she joked.

"Tucker could commentate. That just leaves finding a job for you. I know we could make you our typical idol worshiping fangirl, unaware of my real identity." Sam shot him a look. "Ya know, like Lois Lane or Mary Jane or something."

She glared at him for a moment. "I hope the bridge beats the crap out of you."

Danny laughed. "I could give it a run for it's money, that's for sure." He glanced around smile still lingering on his features. It was moments like this that Sam knew that Danny was going to be the only person she would ever be able to open up with. She tried not to think about what if something happened to him.

He sighed, smile fading. "We should go. Before my parents wake up. Jazz is covering for us, but still."

She nodded, forcing herself to stand. "Time to go back to reality," she whispered.

"I wish I could make it go away, Sam." He said standing to her side, only inches between her. As if he was afraid if he touched her she would shatter.

She glanced over at him before looking at the river again. It somehow seemed so much less threatening in dawn's light. "I know. We need to head back while it's still dark."

"I think we can fly. You trust me enough for that?" He looked so nervous standing there waiting for her answer. She knew that to him there was a lot more behind the question than simply a ride home.

She regarded him for a moment and then nodded. "I'd trust you with my life. Always have, always will. But, you know that."

He looked down for a moment. "I think I did. I just needed to hear you say it." He grinned up at her and for a moment Sam would have sworn that if she closed her eyes, she could have dreamed her reality away.

****

There. Another chapter done. We're at that point again guys. Three chapters left plus epilogue. Wow this has gone so fast! I wrote the epilogue today so I promise that we'll get this one finished. Thanks to my wonderful reviewers: Spice of Life, Samster The Hamster, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, Chibi Fluffy Muffin, Lady-Ashanya, autumngold, Annie, Piezo, Snow Owl Queen, IceSugarHigh, Shadow Sakura, Sakura Scout, Moody Maud, The Fuzy Llama, q.t a.k.a spice, Ryo's destiny, CoLdPLaYeR813, Divagurl277, gothmiko, Fox of Light, RavenForever, audi katia, Dark Lil' Hanyou, Possesed Angel, RainbowSerenity, Kagome51, Wind Cat, AngelicxDeath, The Good Girl, and The Weasil. Think we can hit four hundred reviews?

Note to all Fallen Fans: Rainbow Serenity, being the wonderful obsessed fan that I love, has drawn a fanart for Imaginary! I think this is just awesome and if anyone does anything like this ever email me. But I want you all to go check it out. She did a phenomenal job. The fact that Fanfiction has made links in chapters unpostable annoys me. But your smart peopl you can take out the spaces: www . deviantart . com / deviation / 9258670


	17. Chapter Sixteen

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Sixteen

In my field of paper flowers.

The whole Fenton how seemed to present a sort of a false happiness as the day before the custody hearing began. Sam knew she was becoming a lot more emotional. It seemed the harder she tried not to snap on somebody, the more often she snapped. Everyone seemed to be trying to bear in mind that she was pregnant and stressed about the nightmare court date but they were still getting rather tired of it.

Sam sighed as she lay there on the hide-a-bed that was becoming more and more familiar. She had her back to the stairs and the kitchen. She laid there staring at the wall, unmoving afraid that if they knew she was up she would fight them. She smelled the pancakes and fought back a wave of nausea. So far morning sickness was her biggest issue with pregnancy but she would have to re-evaluate when she started putting on weight.

She heard Tucker and Danny coming downstairs. Tucker had stayed the night last night and unfortunately had been the latest victim of her chemical driven wrath. He had left a PS2 controller laying out she had almost tripped. It was trivial, something a month ago she could have blown off. She hated how nasty she was becoming.

She heard them both stop at the bottom of the stairs. She was glad they were her best friends and all but the idea of them watching her sleep unnerved her. Tucker seemed to break the silence. "I can't believe she's been through all that."

"So your not mad at us for not telling you sooner?" Sam looked at the edge of the sheet guilt welling up inside her. She hadn't even had the guts to discuss it with Tucker, not after her parents' reaction, something she remembered vividly now.

"Actually I am," he went silent for a moment and Sam almost turned to face them. "But I was thinking about it after you went to sleep last night. I can't see myself acting any different if I was in your shoes, so I'm sure I'll get over it. I mean I'm glad you were there for her and all but I kinda feel useless. I didn't do anything to help, ya know what I mean?"

"She still has a long way to go. And of course then there's the baby." Both boys went silent for a minute.

"Would you think I was horrible if I said I can't see Sam as a mom?" Tucker asked quietly.

"No, honestly. I can't see her as one either. Maybe that's just because we know her too well."

She heard one of them sigh; she was betting it was Tuck. "Your probably right."

"Come on, let's go get some breakfast." Sam sat there numbly as she heard the guys go into the kitchen and greet Jazz. She tuned out there conversation. Maybe there was a reason they couldn't see her as a mom. It probably just wasn't meant to be. Even when all the other kids had talked about what children they were going to have; how many, names, number of years between them; she just couldn't force herself to form an answer in her own head.

Maybe she was just destined to be alone for the rest of her life. She could see Tucker making somebody a great husband and all you had to do was stick Danny in a room with a four-year-old and you could tell he was born to be a dad. But Sam had never been a children person. In her mind, kids were either crying or screaming and babies just were not cute. She had a problem with opening up to people too. Didn't exactly make for a fair-tale bride.

Heck, screw marriage, she couldn't even picture herself being in a dating situation. Ever. Maybe it was a sign that she didn't have what it takes to carry on with everyday life. Maybe, she had the right idea in the first place. She got up, pushing the thought away. She wasn't helping anyone thinking that she was better off dead. Just watch Danny be able to read her thoughts and come out here and kill her.

She walked into the kitchen and Jazz grinned over at her. "Morning!" Both the guys turned to her and grinned though Tucker seemed a little nervous being around her. She smiled back dropping into a chair. "You want me to fix you some pancakes, Sam?" Jazz offered.

Her stomach churned at the thought but she was tired of upsetting everybody. "Sure, that would be great." She tried to smile as Jazz grinned at her. It came out with a sort of nervous quirk. She looked over at Danny who was eating and Tucker who glanced away when she looked at him. He had obviously been staring. She suddenly felt like some sort of horrible animal on display.

She sat there in silence, just wishing that she was like Danny and could disappear or sink into the ground and never look back. She was pulled out of her near trance by a hand on her shoulder as Jazz leaned forward and placed the pancakes in front of her.

Sam looked down at them and the combined smell and sight of them was too much for her. Sam bolted for the door, her chair crashing against the linoleum floor. She threw open the bathroom door and threw up into the toilet. She fell to her knees, the quezy feeling still there. She felt sweaty and nasty. Her hair hung limply around her face. She hated being sick, she didn't know if she could do this every morning.

She wondered if they were missing her at breakfast. Just the thought of going back made her sick again. She felt somebody pull back her hair. She finished getting sick and rocked back onto her heals, trying to ignore the nasty taste in her mouth. She looked over to her right to thank the person but her jaw dropped open in surprise at who it was.

Staring back at her with bright blue-green eyes was Jazz. "You feeling better now?" Sam didn't know what to do so she just nodded. "I'm sorry, Sam. I should have realized that would make you sick and given you cereal or something."

"It's okay," Sam said. She hadn't really ever talked with Jazz on a one on one basis except in passing conversation. "It's my fault. I should have just said no."

It was quiet for a moment both girls staring at the tile floor they were sitting on. "I worry about you," Jazz said suddenly.

"I'm fine." Sam tried to sound assuring, although she was positive she didn't.

Jazz shook her head slightly. "I've been meaning to say this for a while, I know you don't really have any girl friends to talk to. If you ever need someone, I mean, I know you have Danny but I can't see my brother discussing the intimate details of a doctor visit." Sam almost grinned at the thought.

Sam was at a loss for what to say. "Thanks, Jazz."

Jazz just shrugged. "I wish I could do more."

Sam just shook her head overwhelmed. "You've already done more than enough. All of you guys. Much more than I deserve."

Jazz shook her head. "You deserve much better than this, Sam. We're just all sorry we can't give it to you."

**__**

Welcome to the shortest author's note EVER. Sorry I'm running late for work. Thanks to my reviewers: audi katia, anonoymous, Annie, IceSugarHigh, Storm Sword, Spice Of Life, RainbowSerenity, Sakura Scout, Divagurl277, Kagome51, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, Coldplayer813, lightning streak, Fox of Light, The Good Girl, Moody Maud, Ryo's destiny, autumngold, RavenForever, and Weeble Wobble Chic. Huggles to you all!


	18. Chapter Seventeen

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Seventeen

And candy clouds of lullaby.

Danny untied the tie for a third time his hands shaking so badly that he couldn't do this. He was about to go to a hearing that even his own lawyer thought they were going to lose. Why did he keep thinking this wasn't fair? Of course, it wasn't fair. But then again no one had ever told him that it was going to be. And if anybody who knew it wasn't perfect, it was him.

There was a soft knock on the door. "It's open," Danny called. Sam poked her head in the door.

"Hey," she said softly but her voice still shook and her hands were trembling. She stepped into the door and he looked at her for the first time. She was wearing an old dress shirt and skirt of Jazz's but they seemed to fit okay. Here hair was done up in two french braids that fell right behind her ears. "Your hair looks cute like that," he said trying to find a neutral subject.

She unconciously pulled nervously at the end of one of the braids. "Your mom did it," she said nervously.

Danny gave her a strange look before beginning to try and do his tie again. "Didn't know my mom could even do hair."

"She said she used to do Jazz's hair like this a lot before she went into second grade." It went silent in the room. Sam stared at her feet for a minute and Danny noticed she had some black dress sandals on that were Jazz's so they were a size or two too big. "How are you doing?" She asked softly.

Danny successfully managed to tie the necktie so it looked decent and turned from the mirror. He watched her drop lightly onto his bed. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"I'm just a little nervous," she murmered. She gave a sardonic laugh, "It's not as if I'm about to have my entire future decided by a complete stranger."

"Just a little nervous?" he asked. "I don't mean to sound rude but, Sam, you look petrified."

She twirled the bottom of her right braid around her finger. "I guess that works too." She was silent for a moment. "I don't want to leave. I want to stay here with you and Tucker."

"You won't have to leave, Sam. I promise." He took her trembling hands in his. He ran a thumb over her knuckles. "I won't lose you like this." He stared at her face while she refused look away from their joined hands.

"You don't have any choice in the matter," Danny started to object but Sam continued. "Danny, if they tell me to go, I have to go. Plus everybody in civic government knows how much of the local economy my dad's factory is responsible for. No ones going to stand up to him, especially not to get his pregnant, disowned daughter a chance at living with her best friend."

He shook his head. "Stop being so pessimistic."

"This isn't pessimism," Sam jumped in. "This is reality! I don't want to go. I don't know what I'll do without having you around. I mean I'll miss Tucker. Heck, I'll probably even miss Jazz. But you know that we haven't gone for more than a month and a half without seeing each other? Ever. Since kindergarten."

Danny nodded. "And even then we were emailing all the time."

"Exactly. Danny, I don't know if I can do this by myself."

He sighed. "If anybody can, it's you. Sam, your one of the bravest people I know."

Sam rolled back her sleeve. "Brave people don't do this Danny," she said holding out her left wrist and her right hand. The scars from the pencil knife and stove burner showed dark against her pale skin. "This is the easy way out, Danny. And I've already tried to choose it."

He sat there staring with darkened eyes at her wrist. "And you stopped me," she continued, her voice thick. "Next time your not going to be there. There will be nothing to stop me from killing myself and the baby." Her eyes looked emptier with every word she said. As always Danny's mind snapped back to the playground.

"Don't think that way, Sam." He tried to force himself not to notice the desperation in his voice. Sam lifted her head violet eyes boring into his blue ones. She sat there staring at him hollow-eyed.

"I'll have nothing left," she breathed.

Danny shook his head. "Even if they take you away, you'll still be my best friend. I don't care what I have to do to keep it that way."

They stared at each other for a moment, neither one sure what to say. "Danny! Sam!" the voice shattered the silence.

Danny supressed a sigh. "Yeah, Dad?"

"Time to go!" The voice drifted up through the floor to them.

"This is it," Sam breathed. Danny stood and slipped his hand into hers and she squeezed it. The now familiar gesture made Danny feel better and he smiled weakly over at her.

"Are you ready for this," he asked softly.

She shook her head the little tips of her braids swaying slightly. "I don't think I'll ever be ready for this." Danny pulled her up and held her for a moment.

A soft voice came from the doorway. "Kids, we need to go meet Bryce," Maddie said gently. Sam pulled back from Danny and nodded slightly, as if she didn't trust her voice. She took a few steps towards the door, still clinging to Danny's hand as he trailed behind her.

Maddie started down the steps but Sam paused. She held the railing but didn't take the step. Danny looked down at her hand on the railing. She was holding on so tight that her knuckles were white. "No matter what happens, Danny. I'm never going to forget everything you have done for me," she whispered for only Danny to hear.

Hearing her say that bothered him. Almost as if there was some ominous meaning behind them, something bigger than today or the hearing. "Why does that scare me," he asked just as quietly.

Sam slipped her hand out of his and started down the stairs. "Maybe it needs too."

**__**

You are all officially invited to the hearing of Joseph Manson vs. The Fenton Family. Also known as Chapter Eighteen, which is also known as 'the last Chapter'. Well, hold your tears we have the epilogue too! Anyway for some reason my account is screwy and it said I only got five reviews and I kept asking myself "What happened?! I killed all my reviewers or something!" I was amazed at how many I really got! You guys are awesome. At this rate we'll definitely hit four hundred! Thanks to you all: Lady-Ashanya, Weeble Wobble Chic, Moody Maud, Annie, q.t a.k.a spice, Kagome51, Possesed Angel, AngelicxDeath, Spice Of Life, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, Samster The Hamster x2, The Good Girl, Chibi Fluffy Muffin, The Fuzy Llama, audi katia, IceSugarHigh, Storm Sword, Ryo's destiny, autumngold, RavenForever, adsfasdf, Wind Cat, Coldplayer813, Shadow Sakura, Sakura Scout, RainbowSerenity, and Fox of Light. You guys rule.

P.S. – I want to thank everyone who's reviewed He's My Son. That one meant a whole lot to me and I can't thank you guys enough for reviewing!


	19. Chapter Eighteen

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Chapter Eighteen.

I lie inside myself for hours.

Danny sat there looking around the cold room. The tiled floor and white dry wall gave it an empty feeling. Nothing like the courtrooms on movies with their rich wood paneling and dashingly handsome attorneys. But than again if reality was like TV, there wouldn't be anything to worry about in this world. Everything could be solved in a half an hour and the worst thing was waiting through commercials.

The judge was currently hearing the case before theirs. He glanced over at Sam. To anyone else she would have looked fine. But her jaw was set a little too firmly and her eyes looked a little too intense. He squeezed her hand and she looked over at him with a sort of scared look. Danny mouthed, 'Are you okay?' She nodded, the braids swinging forward to brush the back of her jaw.

They sat there staring at each other until Sam jumped. Danny shook himself out of the daze and saw that Bryce had put his hand on the small of her back. "It's show time, Sam." With one last terrified glance at Danny, she followed Bryce up to the front.

Danny felt his mom squeeze his elbow and tried to smile reassuringly at her, letting her know it was fine. But it wasn't fine his face showed it. He was petrified. This was it. Sam was either going to be with him or he would lose her. The judge asked for the case and the clerk read the names and the case number and introduced the attorneys. Danny couldn't have cared less at the moment. They filled in on the basic charges and case information.

The judge listened intently. "So she's already been emancipated, but we have the issue of custody?"

"Yes, sir," the clerk confirmed with a nod.

The judge looked down at the case files. "The file says she is pregnant," he directed at Bryce.

He nodded. "Nine weeks, your honor."

"And the Fenton's relationship to Samantha is?"

Bryce swallowed. "Their son Daniel has been her best friend since kindergarten." It felt weird to hear him and Sam referred to as Samantha and Daniel. His whole life they'd always been Sam and Danny. Well at least since second grade when Sam switched from being called Sammy.

The judge peered at them his head still bent. "But the child is not his according to the report."

"No, your honor."

He folded his hands and leaned back in his chair. "And what do you propose, Mr. Steiling, before I go to the defense?"

"Since Samantha is already emancipated, I don't see how the defense can object to who her guardians are. The Fenton's have done all of this the legal way. There is no reason that Mr. and Mrs. Fenton should not be given guardian status till Miss Manson finishes high school."

"Objection," called out the man who had visited them in the hospital. "Until she has a guardian, her parents are still responsible for her welfare."

The judge looked at the other lawyer. "Overruled. The emancipation went completely through."

Danny shot a confused look over at his mom. Maddie leaned over and whispered in his ear. "It means Sam is an adult in the courts eyes. Her parents can't claim her again."

He looked back up at Sam. She looked so lost and scared, her shoulders were shaking. Danny wished he could just stop time and go to her. But that of course was impossible. Instead he sat there helplessly as Bryce sat down next to Sam and her fathers attorney stood.

"Miss Manson was emancipated cause she verbally attacked her parents and when they tried to stop her, she hurt herself for attention. She lied to her parents as of the fact of who was the child's father. The same lie the prosecution is using now." Sam stiffened and everything in Danny screamed to jump up and stop him from saying this about his best friend. His mother must have been able to tell cause she put a hand on Danny's shoulder, almost as if it was a warning.

"She has a behavior problem. Even her school records show it. Disrespect, poor choices, a few rebelious displays of activism. In fact her best friend, Daniel Fenton, got suspended for attacking another student. Is that the kind of example we want to set for Samantha?"

Danny felt the judge's eyes on him but he remained staring resolutely at the legs of the chair in front of him. He had been protecting her reputation. Wasn't that what best friends are supposed to do? The lawyer continued. "I have already contacted a great foster home down near the Brightsburg Dimsdale area. The Carter family is highly religious and well structured. Mr. Carter is a professor of theology and his wife is an elementary school teacher at a local Christain academy. Where as the Fentons are inventors, not even a stable job. And already supporting two teens and are going to have to start paying tuition for there oldest in a few years. The financial situation is just not practical for them to take her in."

Danny glanced over at his parents. His father's jaw was set and his eyes had a cold look. His mom looked like she was about to cry. The judge looked at his family and Danny felt the tears start to burn his eyes. It didn't take a genius to know they were losing. He was about to lose his best friend.

Sam turned around and looked at him tears on her face. Danny bit his lip and tried to force himself to smile. It wouldn't come. "Miss Manson?" the judge called. Sam's head whipped back around.

"I've reached my decision." The clerk asked everyone in the courtroom to stand. "Until Samantha has the child, she needs a family structure to help her through this. I'm placing her in the care of the Carter's. Once she has the baby, we'll reevaluate and if at that time Miss Manson still wishes to complete her education at Casper High, we will see about her living with the Fenton's. Case dismissed." He hit the gavel and Sam literally fell to the ground with a sob.

His mother went to her but Danny couldn't move. He stood in one place, everything numb. He stared ahead at the fallen figure with glassy blue eyes. It was over. He'd just lost his best friend.

**__**

It's over. I'm seriously going to cry. I know I'm way to mean to them. But it serves my purposes. Muwahahaha. Anyways I want to thank all my fabulous reviewers for this chapter: YAY!!!!, audi katia, autumngold, Wind Cat, AngelicxDeath, Possesed Angel, Silverflare07, Medisti, IceSugarHigh, Incrediblecuznz x 3, RavenForever, Mrs. Granger-Weasley, Kagome51, Fox of Light, Samster The Hamster, The Good Girl, Spice Of Life, Storm Sword, Moody Maud, Shadow Sakura, Ryo's destiny, q.t a.k.a spice, asdfsdf, Coldplayer813, RainbowSerenity, AngelicxDeath, and Possesed Angel. You guys rock.


	20. Epilogue

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Imaginary

Summary: Everything has a consequence now Sam has to learn to live with hers. All Danny can do is hope it doesn't kill her.

Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and language.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Butch Hartman does. I do not own Imaginary, Evanescence does.

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Epilogue

And watch my purple sky fly over me.

Danny sat with Sam on the front steps of his house. He couldn't think or feel what was going on around him everything was numb. They had lost. He was losing his best friend and there was nothing he could do about it. Now they sat here waiting for His parents to pull the car around and drive them down to the station to put Sam on a train.

Three hours away suddenly seemed like an unreachable distance. Everyone told him, "Don't worry. Sam turns sixteen in January and she'll get her license." Danny didn't care. He _shouldn't_ need a car and a whole day to see his best friend. He _should_ just be able to walk to her house and stay for a few hours. He looked over at Sam who was staring blankly across the road.

"Sam?"

She didn't look up. "Remember when I told you I was scared when I found out I was pregnant?"

Danny looked over at her compassionately. "Yeah, I remember."

"Well now I'm terrified." She finally looked over at him, purple eyes suddenly looking much deeper than usual. Danny found all he could do was stare at her. He looked at her tear-clumped lashes, puffy bloodshot eyes, and was sure he didn't look any better. There had been a lot of crying for the past week. "You were right. I hadn't had to face anything alone yet. Now, I'm going to have to."

He wanted to promise that he would be there for her. But they both knew that at this point that was a physical impossibility. Too young to drive, too far to walk, things were not going to be easy on either of them. "Still promise to call me whenever anything is wrong?"

She nodded, staring at her boots. "I'll try."

Danny opened his mouth to make her promise, then realized that he couldn't. Three hours was an eternity away and all he could do was talk to her. If she hung up, he was helpless knowing she could be in trouble and he couldn't be there for her. He nodded meekly at her.

"I guess that's all we can do," he murmered. He looked over at Sam her lip beginning to quiver. She bit down on it quickly, as if not wanting him to see her cry, despite how many times he had. He slipped an arm around her shoulder and something snapped in Sam. She dropped her head onto his shoulder and the tears came.

"What's going to happen to me," she choked out. And for yet another time since this nightmare had began, Danny didn't know what to tell her. He just held her tighter and Sam clung to him. "What if this is goodbye?" She stopped taking a deep, shaky breath so that she could get the rest out. "What if this is the last time we see each other?"

"It won't be," Danny said firmly. "Even if I have to walk, I'll see you again. You believe me, right?" Sam gave sort of strangled sob but didn't move. "I'm not going to lose you, Sam. I promise." She nodded weakly against his shoulder. Danny turned at the sound of a car. "Sam, we need to go."

They both stood and grabbed one of her bags. She pulled Danny into a hug. He didn't ever want to let go, cause if he did she would be gone and the world as he knew it would be over. She pulled back reluctantly. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you," she whispered.

"We'll get through this." He hoped he that he sounded more sure of himself then he felt.

She looked down and then back up at his face. "Just this time, not together."

**__**

There we have it, the end of the Second Book. Time for Book Three! Everybody be on the look out for Taking Over Me. Sophomore year. Wow my little characters are growing up so fast. :') LoL But seriously, thanks to my reviewers for the last chapter, even if it is a little creepy how many reviews I get in five hours: audi katia, red52, aeris9919, AngelicxDeath, Chibi Fluffy Muffin, RavenForever, Spice Of Life, Sakura Scout, Ryo's destiny, CoLdPLaYeR813, Kagome51, q.t a.k.a spice, Samster The Hamster, Silverflare07, IceSugarHigh, The Good Girl, Weeble Wobble Chic, Sakura Scout, and Lady Ashanya. I think I have more that aren't showing up but I wanted to get this out. If your name isn't here but you reviewed you'll be on Taking Over Me. Thanks!


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